Husky Voice and Thumping bass lines - The Veils at Atomic Café
It was one of these rare beautiful evenings in Munich this year and we had our tickets for The Veils - so at first it was strange to come from bright sunshine into the Atomic Café´s darkness. But so worth it! Support was the local band called Line Walking Elephant, founded a year ago, they had just released their new Album. They played some sincere rock music although the audience were quite reserved and to a huge amount, not yet there.
So... with the main act entering the stage, the audience´s attitude changed completely and suddenly the venue was full with people. The Veils´ music is surreal and absolutely captivating! With thumping bass lines, Radiohead-like density, crashing guitars and a Mariachi-style entrée they created their unique sound. Produced by 7 people on the small Atomic Café stage, among them trumpet and sax, they did a really good job. Singer and songwriter Finn Andrews, with his distinctive baritone voice, singing beautifully, screaming huskily, twisting his voice and frequently changing acoustic against blues guitar and back. Bass player Sophia Burn, most of the time played head down, face hidden under blond hair, going with the flow. Sax and trumpet, second guitar and drums giving everything and new member Uberto Rapisardi did his part in an introverted way of perfection. The mixed audience was more relaxed than ecstatic, enjoying the pleasure of good music like sipping a good old wine, first waking up with "Not yet" - some going with it, than back to the dreaming of melancholic brit-pop scenes. At some moments it was unsettling (in a good way) to watch Andrews' presence when he was literally shaking, eyes twisted to the ceiling, seeming kind of possessed.
The set was a mix of old songs like adorable encore Lavinia and songs from their latest album "Time Stays, We go" just released April 20 on their own label Pitch Beast Records. For this, the band could get English producer Bill Price out of retirement with whom they created a "richly analogue sound, rarely heard in popular music today" (press text).
My thoughts were echoed by these enthusiastic voices: "The best and most unsettling thing I've seen in music this year" (The LA Times) and "Quite possibly the most underrated band on the planet" (NME).
I just loved it. It was like a walk "Through The Deep, Dark Wood".